Location: Kota Kinabalu
Top Things to do in Kota Kinabalu
Top Restaurants in Kota Kinabalu
10 Things to Do in Kota Kinabalu That You Shouldn't Miss
Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo is the bustling gateway to acclaimed Kinabalu National Park. The park's high point is 13,400-foot Mount Kinabula, Malaysia's tallest peak, a mecca for climbers. Ninety miles away, thrilling jungle trekking and camping await in the Crocker Range National Park.
Restaurants in Kota Kinabalu
1. North Borneo Railway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 607 reviews
The North Borneo Railway runs two weekly return departures (Wednesday, Saturday) from Kota Kinabalu to Papar, year round. Lasting approximately 4 hours, passengers experience the lush landscape of the coastal and rural regions of Sabah. A typical 'tiffin' colonial lunch will be served on the return trip.
Reviewed By ThePaul068 - Scunthorpe, United Kingdom
A terrific journey on an old, but exotic, steam railway. The carriages are something from the past but they are kept immaculate with their historic charm. My wife I travelled in relative comfort, each having our own 'two-seater' comfortable bench seat either side of our dining table, while our friends had the same on the opposite side of the carriage. The late breakfast was different, but enjoyable, as was the hot meal on the return leg.
The train made a few short stops en route and a longer one at the end of the outward journey. Due to the hot weather all the carriage windows were open which allowed some of the engine smoke to enter the compartments on the odd occasion. However, this only added to the charm of this lovely experience. Oh! There was a short tunnel towards the end of the outbound journey (and return of course) which allowed a good deal of smoke to enter the carriage, but this soon dispersed as we emerged. The staff were extremely helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and, of course, professional.
This trip is a must, even for those who are not train enthusiasts, because there is so much to see that cannot be seen by road journeys.
2. Imago Shopping Mall
Overall Ratings
4 based on 283 reviews
Reviewed By Dorothy C - Hong Kong
I was told this mall was opened in late 2016 and I believe it is the best shopping mall in KK. It has some brand name shops such as Coach, H&M, Michael Kors, L’Occitane, Kiehl’s and so on. Other big names such as Gucci, LV, Hermes, Fendi, Polo, Hugo Boss etc are not available. Well, in all fairness, KK is a tourist place and does not need high street up-market brand name shops, right? It’s a nice shopping mall with all the things one needs from Parkson Department Store, eateries, personal care, apparels, electronic stuffs, supermarket etc. There’s also a cinema and an indoor archery place which is fun for kids. It’s easy to to this mall as all taxi drivers and Uber drivers in KK would know this top shopping mall.
3. Tanjung Aru Beach
Overall Ratings
4 based on 282 reviews
Reviewed By Ibrahim D
My first walk on this beach helped me totally appreciate not being in the big cities and concrete jungles that I grew up in... and the sunsets take your breath away like none I have ever seen... beyond awesome everyday and you owe it to yourself to visit and spend some time on the beach
4. Kokol Hill
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 97 reviews
Reviewed By Itravel0ne - Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
It's long weekend and what's more pleasant then taking a drive to Kokol hill. A few resorts or restaurants are available for you to enjoy the day. Good time to enjoy the nature and out of the city and is probably the best spot to catch a view of Kota Kinabalu and its surrounding areas. Picture perfect to snap the beautiful sunset. Some resorts have better food then other. So check out all of them.
5. Kota Kinabalu City Mosque
Overall Ratings
4 based on 909 reviews
Reviewed By Krishna1306 - Bengaluru, India
I love Mosques and their architecture. Simple and elegant. Irrespective of your faith, its a nice place to visit on any day. Avoid Fridays if possible, as the mosque tend to be crowded, and the lack of appropriate parking poses a serious traffic issue around it.
6. Tanjung Aru Perdana Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 249 reviews
Reviewed By TravellerAnother - Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
It is very clean compared with the old Tanjung Aru beach. You can jog here or enjoyed the musical water Fountain available for free(However, there is also a parking fee for cars at entrance). The down side is there's not enough shops/restaurants for food.
7. Gaya Street Sunday Market
Overall Ratings
4 based on 481 reviews
Reviewed By Steve H
The Gaya Street Sunday Market is worth a visit. It is an extensive and comprehensive market where you can find something whether it be intentional or spontaneous.
Fresh produce, souvenirs, pet shops, antiques (or so you could be led to believe), fresh juices, ice creams etc are in abundance.
The find for me included some wildlife sketches that were originals and the table of seashells and coral (all at reasonable prices) - customs would be problematic. The shells were extraordinary, varying in colors, sizes and shapes.
Walking the whole market is a feat in itself - ensure you leave enough time! Remember all the market experiences you have ever had as this is an extension of those. .. and yes the pick picketers are active so awareness and precautions would be advised.
8. Weston Wetland Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 123 reviews
Weston Wetland Park located at Weston town, Southwest of Sabah (North Borneo). Weston Wetland Park offers a place to relax for both local and international tourist. Optional activities such as sea and river fishing, river cruise await you to discover wildlife such as Proboscis Monkey, Silver Langur, Long Tailed Macaques, Crocodiles, Birds and etc.
Reviewed By kcsun71 - Perth Western Australia
We were collected from our hotel in KK and it was quite a long drive to Weston - about 2 hours with one toilet/food stop on the way. The roads are not great - very bumpy. We had some afternoon tea once we arrived which was very local food - loved this. Then we boarded a boat and headed out to see the monkeys. We saw a few different types in monkeys including the probiscus monkey. Some up close others were harder to see. After watching the sunset over the river we headed back to the base restaurant where dinner was served. The meal was simple and lovely.
After dinner we hopped back on the boat to see the fireflies. They were nice - lit up the trees like Christmas lights. I was later told that July is a better time to see them. But we were happy with what we saw.
9. Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 720 reviews
Reviewed By A TripAdvisor Member
Amazing spot fir nature and diving but needs attention for littering in ocean. Disappointing to see so much litter from tourism. Particularly gross when you snorkel to see nappies, pads and tampons in water and plastic and general wastes.
10. Sabah State Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 536 reviews
Reviewed By Jen S - London, United Kingdom
We got an uber to the museum (5RM) and entry for foreigners is 15RM. Very cheap! The museum itself is very interesting. There are several floors including the history of Sabah and natural history. I believe there were more areas e.g. a botanical area but we didn't go to see those because we arrived a little late in the afternoon and the museum closes at 5pm. You can easily spend a couple of hours there
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